Links for Sunday, as Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler become the first set of teammates in MLB history to homer in each of their team's first three games…
- Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) knows that the point has been made before, but he finds it unfathomable that the Giants thought it smart to give $126MM to Barry Zito.
- The Orioles released minor league outfielder Danny Figueroa, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com.
- The Phillies have released Dan Meyer from their minor league camp, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.
- Within his Sunday Baseball Notes, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that the Rangers "haven't closed the door" on a Michael Young trade. Cafardo says not to rule out the Phillies, though the Phils are a little more optimistic about Chase Utley's health than they were a couple weeks ago.
- Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. says his club has room to add payroll this season "if the right situation develops," according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- WEEI.com's Alex Speier discusses former first round pick Jason Place, who the Red Sox released yesterday.
- In an article for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Terry Pluto takes a look at the Indians' future infield.
The only way I see the Phillies dealing for Young is at the deadline if Utley has a set back. At this point, there’s really no need to panic.
“Cardinals have room to add payroll, if the right situation develops.”
What that really means is that they will add payroll to resign Pujols. Hopefully.
I hope the Phillies optimism about Utley is correct. I am not a Philly fan, but I hate it whenever a great player like Utley misses a lot of action due to injury.
The Rays lineup looks absolutely brutal without Longoria, and isn’t that great if he was playing. Baltimore looks much improved, and I can certainly see Tampa fighting to get out of the AL East basement this year.
3 games is awesome sample size to start making bold statements..
I’ll join you, Red Sox and Tampa will fight for 4th and 5th in the division, and Ian kinsler and Nelson Cruz will combine for 364 home runs this year.
you should be ecstatic. drabek’s going 30-0
Do you guys realize how many SB Agon is getting this year?!
^This was my favorite
Take a look at their lineup and bullpen and tell he how they’re going to compete this year, I’ll wait…
I know it’s only 3 games into the season, but the problems that people have seen for them seem to be true. You guys can dig this up at the end of the year if Farnsworth saves 30 games, Dan Johnson hits 30 HR’s, Rodriguez goes 20/20 and zombie Manny and Damon each get reborn, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
The Rays get a ton of credit from smart folks in the baseball world, and it’s well deserved based on how many quality players they churn out each year, but I think they will have to endure a rough season this year in order to see greener pastures soon.
was gonna give a longer serious response, but then you referred to manny as “zombie manny”. this will not stand, man
player a – .298/.409/.460 .382 wOBA 141 wRC+
player b – .298/.393/.511 .378 wOBA 143 wRC+
player a is “zombie manny” in 2010
player b is adrian gonzalez in 2010
*warning: smallish sample sizes and park factors.
But manny definitely isn’t a zombie. He’s still very good and I expect a big year out of him
haha what is the small sample size suppose to caution against here? the further back you go with manny the better his numbers get. he’s faaairly well established
i mean that’s literally the worst sample you can find before what, 1994?
CAUTION, SMALL SAMPLE. PRIOR TO THAT, HE ONLY HIT .332/.430/.601 wOBA .432
The Manny thing is seriously becoming a dead horse, we may as well start talking about Beltre’s contract years again. His “down” year last year included a 400 OBP. Manny is too good of a hitter to not contribute his value, especially when he being paid 2mm to DH for a team who gave the at bats to Dan Johnson, Matt Joyce and Rocco Baldelli last year
Too bad the Cardinals won’t be in it this year so “The right situation” won’t develop.
Thus far, comments on Barry Zito portion of this post: Zero, which again proves my theory… Hiding behind cheesy 16 year-old style mustaches for inconspicuousness: Win.
$126M and he’s seen Alyssa Milano naked. Yeah, I’d trade places with him.
Welcome to 2008, Mr. Passan.
Jeff Passan. Zito is a bad contract? Did you just figure that out?
So, Kinsler finally hit one completely over a wall?
PEDs!!!!